Workplace safety starts with good records.
Every company must maintain records of worksite injuries and illnesses throughout the year. This recordkeeping is a legal requirement mandated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). This quick guide simplifies the process, outlining your responsibilities.
The Basics:
Companies must document worksite injuries and illnesses for the entire calendar year. It’s essential for both employee well-being and regulatory compliance.
Tools available:
The OSHA packet includes forms to help with ongoing OSHA recordkeeping:
- OSHA Form 300 is an ongoing list of worksite injuries.
- OSHA Form 301 details each injury during the year.
- You may use information from Forms 300 and 301 to complete the annual OSHA Form 300A Summary. Read more about 300A requirements here.
Posting vs. Recordkeeping:
- Form 300A: This is a one-page summary of workplace injuries. It takes center stage from February 1 to April 30 each year, requiring prominent posting for employee visibility.
- Forms 300 and 301: These forms serve as internal recordkeeping documents. They provide detailed records of each injury throughout the year but remain in your company’s files*.
Privacy Considerations:
- Employee confidentiality: While your company should record specific injuries, never include employee names if it involves sensitive health information. You won’t publicly post OSHA Forms 300 and 301 like you will for 300A. Still, employees, former employees, or authorized representatives have the right under CFR 1904.35 to view them.
- OSHA requests: If OSHA requests access to Forms 300 or 301, immediately contact Nextep’s risk or HR departments. We will guide you through the process and ensure you share only legally required information.
Multi-Site Operations:
- Individual logs: If your company has multiple locations, each physical site expected to operate for at least a year must maintain its own injury log.
- 300A posting: Remember the February-April posting! Unless exemptions apply, the 300A summary must be posted prominently at each individual worksite during this period.
Submitting Records to OSHA:
*Most companies will not be required to submit their ongoing records to OSHA. However, starting January 1, 2024, OSHA expanded its Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses Rule. Some larger companies (100+ employees) in specific hazardous industries must electronically submit their work-related injury info, Forms 300 and 301. The deadline for report submission is March 2, 2024, for the 2023 calendar year. See OSHA’s website for more details.
Key Takeaways:
- Form 300A is the public face of your injury records, while Forms 300 and 301 handle internal details.
- OSHA logs 300 and 301 are usually kept in company files unless OSHA requests them, or if your company qualifies for the newly expanded Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses Rule.
- For any questions or assistance with maintaining your OSHA records, Nextep’s Risk Department is ready to help!
